Designing an Amazing Kitchen

Designing an amazing kitchen is just as much an art form as creating a culinary masterpiece. With the right blend of innovative technology, good design principles and beautiful furnishings, it’s possible to create the perfect gathering spot for family and friends.

Lynn Kislin, owner of Appliance Gallery, says that one of the newest trends is to super size the oven range. After all, what would a kitchen be without a stove? “Induction ranges have been standard in the 30-inch size, but now we’re seeing them in the 36-inch and48-inch size,” says Kislin.

What’s driving the demand? “The larger sizes are going to give homeowners that big professional style – it’s very smart looking, while also giving them lots of flexibility,” says Kislin. “The bigger ranges have lots of space for cooking multiple items at the same time, and the convenience of cooking everything at different temperatures.”

Color White Kitchens

Creating With Color White kitchens are still popular but, now splashes of color are appearing with a little pizzazz. “Imagination is the only limitation as far as mixing color into the kitchen,” says Kislin. Rather than using color on cabinets or counter tops, it’s showing up in a surprising place – on kitchen ranges. While stainless appliances will always be in demand for their sleek sophisticated style,custom colors like red, yellow, blue, navy and vintage green are suddenly all the rage.

“We’re showing red, blue and navy in our showroom,” says Kislin. “Most people aren’t brave enough to select red, but they’re definitely interested in blue and navy. A blue range in the kitchen can really make a statement.”

Kitchen Countertops and Islands

For Suzan Decker Ross of Decker Ross Interiors, designing a beautiful kitchen often starts with the countertop. While granite will always be in demand for its quality, she says many of her customers are selecting quartz instead.

Quartz has the appearance of natural stone, but is less porous so it doesn’t need to be sealed. It’s also stain and scratch resistant,durable, and has a more uniform pattern. In addition, there’s less waste, which lowers the cost. “You have to buy the whole slab with granite, but only what you need with quartz,” says Decker Ross.

Kitchen islands are getting longer and rectangular, rather than a big square shape, and some are getting a splash of color – a design feature that can change the whole personality of the room. For example, the Decker Ross design team created a custom kitchen featuring a contrasting turquoise color on the island, a nice tie-inwith the colorful mosaic back splash on the wall.

Countertops on kitchen islands are also getting a cool update with the distinctive waterfall edge, a sleek, streamlined appearance in which the countertop extends all the way down to the floor. It’s very striking look and suitable for any style, from traditional to modern,says Decker Ross.

Cabinet hardware is getting a fresh look too, with oversize pulls.And they’re being turned horizontally, rather than the more traditional vertical position. “A horizontal pull really highlights the cabinet and creates a beautiful look,” says Decker Ross.

Must-Have Kitchen Tools

Every well-dressed kitchen needs the right high-quality tools to get the job done in style. Chris Arbutine, co-owner of The Silver Queen, suggests Wolf Gourmet countertop appliances.

Everything from toasters and countertop convection ovens to blenders, pots and pans and cutlery are all manufactured with the same attention to detail and high performance as the company’s line of large appliances, says Arbutine. For example, the four-slice toaster has an advanced toasting technology that comes with a “precise”shade selector knob to give you the ultimate control over how light or dark you want your toast.

Looking for those essential small kitchen essentials like grinders,peelers, graters, can openers and baking sheets? Arbutinere commends Kuhn Rikon, a high-end Swiss brand that also includes a line of energy-efficient cookware and cutlery.

For the finishing touch, set your table with top quality Frenchlinens. Arbutine recommends linens from Garnier-Thiebaut, a French company dating back to 1830 whose products are used in exclusive hotels and homes worldwide. The company’s Frenchd a mask cotton tablecloths, napkins, placemats and kitchen towels are 100 percent stain resistant and long lasting.

Find more about these products by visiting the Appliance Gallery www.applinace-gallery.com, Decker Ross Interiors www.deckerross.com and Silver Queen www.silverqueen.com

By: Janan Talafer